Can work ask me to do this?

[NotSureICanDoIt]

I’m a copywriter. I write stuff in all sorts of formats but the bottom line is that I’m a writer. Work are asking me to build webpages. I’m really struggling to get to grips with the process of doing this and I’m just wondering whether other copywriters have the same? Or are my work being unreasonable?

I suggest you try and figure it out as AI is absolutely going to take your job and the more versatile you are the better chance you have of hanging on.

Build a website or write a website? These are two ENTIRELY different jobs, requiring entirely different job profiles, education and experience.
But as PP said, if you think you can figure it out, possibly in your long-term best interest. (That said, I think AI will also render website building (and writing) pointless.)
Greetings from a former translator

You see, you say that but there’s a huge backlash against AI generated content in the industry. I have maybe one or two businesses contacting me per week to enquire what contract I’m on and could I potentially work for them. Sometimes freelance, sometimes FTC.

But I take the pp point about being versatile.

Im being asked to build web pages in elementor

I had a quick Google for elementor, looks like it's AI that builds the website for you which doesn't seem so bad? Is it more prompting AI and checking the UI looks right rather than writing any actual code (or checking what code the AI is producing)

It’s not code, no. I’m a reasonably intelligent person but I just cannot get to grips with it!!

It’s a perfectly reasonable pivot of your skills and would fall under the “and other tasks as necessary” category. Building a simple webpage is not difficult. It’s also something you can use AI to help with at this point.

If they are selling or collecting consumer data beyond simple cookies, then you are going to need someone who knows database management and security. That is a different issue. A webpage itself is really just a brochure.

I’d encourage you to give it a go. I may be misunderstanding what you are being asked to do, but it sounds as if you are being asked to build the ‘container’ for copy. That is the bit that AI will do much better than a human, because when correctly prompted, won’t make any ‘human’ errors.

once the container is built, it will provide more opportunities for actual copy to be written and then published. Being able to do both build the container and provide the human generated copy will give you a significant advantage over others.

You are being offered this opportunity, your options are to go for it or join the ranks of wheel makers and goose quill sharpeners who have been left behind by technological changes.

There was huge backlash against the pits closing and the printers not wanting things to be digitised, and we know how that ended...

I have to disagree. I used to be a copywriter but there’s no way I could build a website!

I think they’re taking the piss. Are you a trade union member?

I don’t think it’s reasonable at all, they are unrelated skills. However, if you are options are to expand your skillset to be able to keep working consistently, or back off and hope for enough copywriting jobs, I think I’d be trying really hard to learn the website building.

That's good to know. I hate AI generated drivel

Most people I know who build webpages taught themselves to do it.
Could you find a course or a mentor?

On the other hand people thought e-books would mean the end of the book I spent the weekend wandering through bustling bookshops

I just have to pull my big girl pants up and get on with it really. I’ve been trying this morning and I sent what I’d done to my boss and his response was “Ahh. Can I call you in ten minutes?” 😂 So not great I’m imagining 😂

I promise you will get to grips with web pages. I was baffled at first but it gradually became clear. Google helped, I would put in a question about a specific thing and get an answer. Good luck.

So when he calls you make it clear this isn’t in your skill set and you never applied for a job as a website designer!

What was the outcome of the call?

But well done for trying. DSis is a copywriter and was made redundant 2 years ago. She now writes websites freelance.